SERIES & GRADE:

POSITION INFORMATION:

PROMOTION POTENTIAL:

DUTY LOCATIONS:

WHO MAY APPLY:

This announcement is open to all qualified U.S citizens.
This announcement combines a merit promotion and a competitive announcement in one advertisement. Applications will be accepted from status and non-status candidates. Status candidates, including NASA term employees eligible for conversion under the NASA Flexibility Act of 2004, will be considered under merit promotion procedures. Non-status candidates will be considered under competitive procedures.

JOB SUMMARY:

NASA, the world's leader in space and aeronautics is always seeking outstanding scientists, engineers, and other talented professionals to carry forward the great discovery process that its mission demands. Creativity. Ambition. Teamwork. A sense of daring. And a probing mind. That's what it takes to join NASA, one of the best places to work in the Federal Government.

Incumbent will serve as a Solid Propulsion Systems Engineer within the Expendable Fluids and Propulsion Branch. Primary duties will be to conduct solid rocket motor internal ballistics assessments to independently validate and verify motor performance of commercially-developed solid rocket motors flown in support of the Launch Services Program mission.

Relocation expenses are authorized.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Position subject to random drug testing

Occasional travel may be required

A one-year probationary period may be required

Occasional travel may be required

Position subject to pre-employment background investigation

DUTIES:

Incumbent will serve as a Solid Propulsion Systems Engineer within the Expendable Fluids and Propulsion Branch. Primary duties will be to conduct solid rocket motor internal ballistics assessments to independently validate and verify motor performance of commercially-developed solid rocket motors flown in support of the Launch Services Program mission. Incumbent must possess a thorough understanding and be capable of applying the relationships that describe the operation and performance of solid propellant rocket motors. Proficient skills in modeling complex propellant grain and nozzle geometries as well as a thorough understanding of propellant formulation, burn rate subscale motor design and data synthesis, subscale-to-full-scale burn rate factor development, combustion instabilities, and mechanisms for incomplete combustion are essential. Understanding of Gas Dynamics with emphasis on one-dimensional flow, understanding of two-phase flow and its effects on motor performance, familiarity with ignition transient codes and their specific applications will be necessary. Must possess the ability to model propellant grain anomalies to assess their effect on performance and structural integrity, understanding and applicability of performance loss mechanisms, working knowledge of erosive burning, acoustic instability, and proficiency in conducting statistical evaluations. Familiarity with the Solid Performance Program (SPP) is highly desirable.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade, which has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies needed to successfully perform the duties of the position described above.

Examples of specialized experience are experience in the analysis, modeling, and design of launch vehicle solid propulsion systems, and experience with the Solid Performance Program (SPP).

*Note: Curriculum must include 30 semester hours of course work in a combination of mathematics, statistics and computer science that provided in-depth knowledge of the following: (1) theoretical foundations and practical applications of computer science, including digital computer system architecture and system software organization, the representation and transformation of information structures and the theoretical models for such representations and transformations; and (2) essential mathematical and statistical techniques. Of the 30 semester hours, 15 must be in any combination of statistics and mathematics which includes differential and integral calculus

U.S. citizenship is required.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Announcement will be used for both internal and external applicants.

Internal (Status) candidates will be evaluated as follows:
Resumes will be rated by an automated system (Resumix) that matches the competencies extracted from your resume to the competencies identified by the selecting official for the position. Based on the competencies you match, you are placed in one of three categories identified as 90, 80, or 70 pt. quality categories, which are defined as:

90 pt. Category - Tentative meets (until subsequent confirmation upon referral) the basic qualification requirements identified in the vacancy announcement and has experience in the same or similar job that has demonstrated superior proficiency in the primary requirements of the position.

For the purpose of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), candidates rated in the top quality category are considered well-qualified.

External (Non-Status) candidates will be evaluated as follows:
Same process as Internal (Status) candidates, with the additional procedures related to Veterans:

The Category Rating Process protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligibles who meet qualification requirements and have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent must be listed at the top of the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher.

BENEFITS:

NASA offers excellent benefit programs and competitive salaries. To learn more about pay and benefits at NASA, click HERE.

OTHER INFORMATION:

Any applicant tentatively selected for this position may be required to undergo a pre-employment background investigation.

Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. See 'How You Will Be Evaluated' for definition of well qualified.

Federal employees seeking CTAP/ICTAP consideration must indicate their eligibility when applying for a position. The USAJOBS resume asks you to identify your ICTAP eligibility; the NASA Supplemental Information asks you to identify your CTAP eligibility. If you are selected for the position, you must be prepared to submit proof that you meet the requirements for CTAP/ICTAP. This includes a copy of the agency notice, a copy of their most recent Performance Rating and a copy of their most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location.

As a condition of employment, male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must certify that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

In order to receive preference in hiring, you must clearly identify your claim for veterans preference on your resume. NASA's Applicant Guide provides the information needed to assist you in determining whether or not you can claim 5 or 10 point veterans preference. You should not submit documents to prove your eligibility for veterans preference at this time. However, you must be prepared to submit proof of veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form) as requested by the Human Resources Office. Veterans preference will only be considered based on what is supported. For instance, if you claim 10-point preference, but are only able to document 5-point preference, you will be considered accordingly. If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.

Your USAJOBS account asks you to assign a name to each of your resumes. When you apply to a NASA position, we will show you the text of the resume you have submitted, but we do not maintain the name you have assigned to that resume. If you wish to keep track of that information, we recommend you make note of it at the time you apply.

As identical vacancies are identified, additional selections may be made.

Applicants must meet eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Any applicant tentatively selected for this position will be required to submit to screening for illegal drug use prior to appointment and will be subject to random drug tests while occupying the position.

HOW TO APPLY:

This vacancy is being filled through NASA STARS, an automated Staffing and Recruitment System. NASA partners with USAJOBS in providing a seamless application process. Before you begin the application process, please read the vacancy announcement carefully and have all required information available. You may begin the process of submitting your resume by clicking on the 'Apply Online' link.

In order to be considered, you must submit a resume completed on the USAJOBS site. When completing your USAJOBS resume, please remember that NASA limits resumes to the equivalent of approximately SIX typed pages, or approximately 22,000 characters including spaces. You will NOT be allowed to complete the application process if your resume is too long or if your resume was uploaded to USAJobs from a second source. Additionally, NASA does not accept documents attached through USAJobs' document attachment feature.

Once you submit your resume to NASA, you will be asked to complete a short series of additional questions. You must finish the entire process in order to have a complete application package and receive consideration. Your answers will not be saved unless you finish the entire application.

You may edit a previously-submitted application, if the announcement is still open. For more information, see the Applicant Guide.

If you are unable to apply electronically for this position, submit your resume and supplemental questions to: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Resume Operations Center, Mailstop: HS50, Marshall Space Flight Center, AL 35812. DO NOT submit your resume directly to the Center advertising this vacancy. Mailed resumes must be received by the close of business on the closing date of the announcement. Hard copy resumes requirements are provided at: Hard Copy Resume Requirements.

If you are a first time applicant, we recommend that you review NASA's Applicant Guide to ensure that you are providing a complete resume. Failure to submit the supplemental data and a resume that contains all of the required information may result in loss of consideration for positions in which you are interested.

All applications must be received no later than midnight Eastern Time on the closing date of the announcement.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

NASA's application process has been specifically developed to ensure that we only ask you for the information we absolutely need to evaluate your qualifications and eligibility. In order to apply for this position, you only need to submit your resume and answer the screening questions and supplemental information. No additional documentation is accepted at the time of application. (For example you need not submit narrative 'KSA' statements; they are not required and will not be evaluated.) In this way we allow you to focus on preparing a resume that best describes your background and abilities. For assistance in preparing your resume, consult the Applicant Guide.

Nothing further is required until requested by the Human Resources Office. At that point, we may ask you to submit documentation to support statements made in your resume. For example, we may ask you to provide academic transcripts or proof of Federal employment status. If you are claiming veterans' preference, we may ask you to submit proof of veterans preference (DD-214, and, if claiming 10-point preference, SF-15 plus proof required by that form). If you fail to provide the required documents within the stated time period, we may withdraw a job offer and/or remove you from further consideration.

AGENCY CONTACT INFO:

WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT:

Candidates for NASA positions are evaluated using our automated staffing and recruitment system, NASA STARS, which compares your skills and experience as described in your resume with the requirements of the position. If you are found to be a highly qualified candidate, you will be referred to the selecting official for further consideration. (In some cases, individuals with priority for special consideration must be considered and selected before other candidates.) Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the selecting official.

At NASA, we pride ourselves on efficient and timely recruitment actions, and you can normally expect to learn the outcome of the selection process in a fairly short period of time. In addition, to ensure that you can measure progress for yourself, NASA provides you with regularly updated information on the status of the vacancy announcement.